Letter of the Day

To the Editor:

Re "Silenced by Islamist Rage" (editorial, Feb. 25):

I find it ironic that you claim solidarity with moderate Muslim journalists who have been silenced by the continuing controversy over cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. Unlike these courageous proponents for free speech, many of whom have received death threats for publishing these images, The Times has yet to print any of the notorious caricatures.

How are we as readers to evaluate this story fully when The Times is unwilling to take the same risks as the people you laud?

Solidarity indeed!

Matthew Stiles McDonald
Hanover, N.H., Feb. 25, 2006

Michelle Malkin has also picked up this letter. The Times has no shame, and will not publish the cartoons no matter how much people protest and complain. They don't consider items that caused riots, mayhem, and deaths around the world worthy of publication because they might offend Muslims. Sorry, but I find the Islamist reaction to the publication - in the form of rioting, committing acts of war, and murder - to be extremely offensive.

The sad fact remains that there are still riots and demonstrations about these 12 cartoons. Nigeria is a festering mess, where violence between Muslims and Christians may resume at any moment.

And over in India, the cartoons have moved into the political debate:

Uttar Pradesh Chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today asked the house to move a resolution condemning the Danish cartoonists for lampooning Prophet Mohammed, while the opposition BJP created uproar by raising the issue of state minister Haji Yakoob Qureshi announcing a bounty of Rs 51 crore on the head of the cartoonists.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, the BJP members demanded that the Speaker of the House declare the act of announcing bounty as ''unconstitutional''.

Meanwhile, Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey, reserved his judgement over whether the minister's statement would be declared "unconstitutional." ''Announcement of bounty by a minister for an individual's head amounted to an offer for contract killing and hence the minister's statement should be declared unconstitutional,'' the BJP demanded.

Over in the Palestinian territories, polling done suggests that nearly 2/3 of Palestinians support violent riots against those who publish the cartoons:

According to the poll, 63 percent of respondents advocate Muslim riots and violent attacks in response to the publication of cartoons mocking Prophet Muhammad, while 35 stated they oppose such acts.

Funny, but the Arab League poohbahs are saying that the cartoons are part of a battle against Islam. Methinks they have it backwards. The Islamists want this battle, and they think that their version of Islam is superior to all other religious interpretations and religious beliefs. And they'll kill to prove their point.

Back in Europe, the Danish Prime Minister welcomed a declaration made by the European Union. You can be sure that the Islamists will not approve.

UPDATE:
Tigerhawk reports that Islamists are now rioting over a depiction of Mecca. On a playing card. A playing card? You can't make this stuff up:

Police fired tear gas at hundreds of rampaging demonstrators on Tuesday in the main city of the Indian portion of Kashmir, protesting the publication by an Indian magazine of the picture of Islam's holiest Shrine on a playing card.

While I can understand the anger at depicting religious holy shrines on a deck of playing cards, rioting seems, well, to be a disproportionate response. Boycott the company that produced the cards. Call on the company to stop manufacturing the cards. Riot? Looks like the card company was holding the deadman's hand (aces and eights).

Technorati: Buy Danish "jyllands-posten mohammed" "muhammad cartoon" embassy torchings "muhammad image archive"